Long suffering Chicago Black Hawks fans can rejoice. Last night they won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years. The last time they hoisted the cup was the 1960-61 NHL season. That year Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Glenn Hall, and Pierre Pilote led them to the championship.

The Hawks have had many opportunities to win since 1961, but haven’t been able to finish it off. Since the 1961 championship the team has reached the finals 5 times and lost every time. Here is their record in the modern era from 1960 to present.

1960-61 won over Detroit Red Wings
1961-62 lost to Toronto Maple Leafs
1964-65 lost to Montreal Canadiens
1970-71 lost to Montreal Canadiens
1972-73 lost to Montreal Canadiens
1991-92 lost to Pittsburgh Penguins
2009-10 won over Philadelphia Flyers

Congratulations to the Chicago Black Hawks and their fans for a well played final and a well-deserved victory.

Hockey in Canada is a religion. Last night one of the heated rivalries Canada vs Russia played out, with Canada winning 7-3 to advance to the semi-finals.

“They came out like gorillas out of a cage,” Russian backup goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov said.

Prior to 1998 pros were not allowed to compete in the Olympics, unless you were Soviet. They fielded a team consisting of their best. The players were all members of the military and paid to train and compete 24/7. This is how they circumvented the rules.

In 1998 the NHL allowed its players to compete for their respective countries. This leveled the playing field and the Russian monopoly on the Gold Medal ended.

The top two teams in Vancouver are Canada and the USA. It appears likely they will meet in the Gold Medal game later this week. The USA defeated Canada in the preliminary round, but lately Canada have found their game and are playing much better. It should be a classic game with all the ingredients for the best game to date. Stay tuned. Go Canada Go.